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Section 3. DESIGNATED DIRECTORS AND TERMS. The Board of Directors shall consist of five voting Directors and two non-voting Directors unless changed by amendment to these bylaws. All Directors shall be designated by the existing Board of Directors with the exception of the initial slate of Directors who shall be recruited and installed by the organizers of the Charter School, the District representative who shall be chosen by the Ramona Unified School District, and the representative of the Sun Valley Charter School faculty who shall be selected by faculty. The Director representing Ramona Unified School District and the Director representing the Sun Valley Charter School faculty shall be non-voting Directors. As such, these Directors may not vote on any matter before the Board of Directors. Nothing in these bylaws should be interpreted to grant these Directors any voting authority. With the exception of the initial slate of Directors, each voting Director shall hold office for two (2) years and until a successor director has been designated and qualified. No voting director shall serve more than two consecutive terms. The non-voting District representative shall serve a two-year term, but with unlimited terms of office as determined by the Board of RUSD. The faculty representative shall serve a one-year term and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. The initial Board of Directors shall be:
NAME EXPIRATION OF TERM
David Sossaman February 7, 2005
Doris Engberg February 7, 2005
Meg McElroy February 7, 2004
Colleen Burman February 7, 2004
Kurt Torsak February 7, 2004
Section 4. RESTRICTION ON INTERESTED PERSONS AS DIRECTORS. No more than 49 percent of the persons serving on the Board of Directors may be interested persons. An interested person is (a) any person compensated by the corporation for services rendered to it within the previous 12 months, whether as a full-time or part-time employee, independent contractor, or otherwise, excluding any reasonable compensation paid to a director as director; and (b) any brother, sister, ancestor, descendant, spouse, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, or father-in-law of such person. However, any violation of this paragraph shall not affect the validity or enforceability of transactions entered into by the corporation.
Section 5. NOMINATIONS BY COMMITTEE. The chairman of the Board of Directors or, if none, the President may appoint a committee to nominate qualified candidates for election to the Board of Directors at least thirty (30) days before the date of any election of directors. The nominating committee shall make its report at least seven (7) days before the date of the election, with the notice of meeting required by these bylaws, and a list of all candidates nominated by committee.
Section 6. USE OF CORPORATE FUNDS TO SUPPORT NOMINEE. If more people have been nominated for director than can be elected, no corporation funds may be expended to support a nominee without the board’s authorization.
Section 7. EVENTS CAUSING VACANCIES ON BOARD. A vacancy or vacancies on the Board of Directors shall occur in the event of (a) the death or resignation of any director; (b) the declaration by resolution of the Board of Directors of a vacancy in the office of a director who has been convicted of a felony, declared of unsound mind by a court order, or found by final order or judgment of any court to have breached a duty under California Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation Law, Chapter 2, Article 3; (c) the increase of the authorized number of directors; or (d) the failure of the members, at any meeting of members at which any director or directors are to be elected, to elect the number of directors required to be elected at such meeting; or (e) termination of employment with the charter school.
Section 8. RESIGNATION OF DIRECTORS. Except as provided below, any director may resign by giving written notice to the Chairman of the Board, if any, or to the President or the Secretary of the board. The resignation shall be effective when the notice is given unless the notice specifies a later time for the resignation to become effective. If a director’s resignation is effective at a later time, the Board of Directors may elect a successor to take office as of the date when the resignation becomes effective.
Section 9. DIRECTOR MAY NOT RESIGN IF NO DIRECTOR REMAINS. Except on notice to the California Attorney General, no director may resign if the corporation would be left without a duly elected director or directors.
Section 10. VACANCIES FILLED BY BOARD. Vacancies on the Board of Directors may be filled by approval of the Board of Directors or, if the number of directors then in office is less than a quorum, by (1) the unanimous consent of the directors then in office, (2) the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office at a meeting held according to notice or waivers of notice complying with Corporations Code section 5211, or (3) a sole remaining director.
Section 11. NO VACANCY ON REDUCTION OF NUMBER OF DIRECTORS. Any reduction of the authorized number of directors shall not result in any director(s) being removed before his or her term of office expires.
Section 12. PLACE OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS. Meetings shall be held at the principal office of the corporation. The Board of Directors may designate that a meeting be held at any place within California that has been designated by resolution of the Board of Directors or in the notice of the meeting. All meetings of the Board of Directors shall be called, held and conducted in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act California Government Code Sections 54950, et seq., as said chapter may be modified by subsequent legislation.
Section 13. MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE OR OTHER TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT. Any Board of Directors meeting may be held by conference telephone, video screen communication, or other communications equipment. Participation in a meeting under this Section shall constitute presence in person at the meeting if all of the following apply:
(a) Each member participating in the meeting can communicate concurrently with all other members.
(b) Each member is provided the means of participating in all matters before the board, including the capacity to propose, or to interpose an objection to, a specific action to be taken by the corporation.
(c) The Board of Directors has adopted and implemented a means of verifying both of the following:
(1) A person communicating by telephone, video screen, or other communications equipment is a director entitled to participate in the Board of Directors meeting.
(2) All statements, questions, actions or votes were made by that director and not by another person not permitted to participate as a director.
(d) The meeting is held and conducted in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act California Government Code Sections 54950, et seq., as said chapter may be modified by subsequent legislation.
Section 14. ANNUAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held monthly on the first Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. unless the first Thursday of the month should fall on a legal holiday in which event the regular meeting shall be held at the same hour and place on the next business day following the legal holiday. The Board of Directors shall hold an annual meeting for purposes of organization, election of officers, and transaction of other business. Notice of this meeting is not required if conducted pursuant to these bylaws. The Board may hold regular, special and emergency meetings. All meetings of the Board of Directors shall be called, held, and conducted in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act, California Government Code Sections 54950, et seq., as said chapter may be modified by subsequent legislation.
Section 15. AUTHORITY TO CALL SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special and emergency meetings of the Board of Directors for any purpose may be called at any time by the Chairman of the Board, if any, the President or any Vice-President, the Secretary, or any two Directors.
Section 16. NOTICE OF SPECIAL OR EMERGENCY MEETINGS. Notice of the time and place of special or emergency meetings shall be given to each Director by (a) personal delivery of written notice; (b) first-class mail, postage prepaid; (c) telephone, including a voice messaging system or other system or technology designed to record and communicate messages, either directly to the Director or to a person at the Director’s office who would reasonably be expected to communicate that notice promptly to the Director; (d) telegram; (e) facsimile; (f) electronic mail; or (g) other electronic means. All such notices shall be given or sent to the Director’s address or telephone number as shown on the corporation’s records and shall be sent with at least such notice as is required in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act California Government Code Sections 54950, et seq., as said chapter may be modified by subsequent legislation which are applicable to the type of meeting called.
Notice of the time and place of special or emergency meetings shall be given to all media who have provided written notice to Sun Valley Charter School, Inc.
The notice shall state the time of the meeting and the place, if the place is other than the corporation’s principal office, and the business to be transacted at the meeting.
All notice requirements will comply with the terms and provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act California Government Code Sections 54950, et seq., as said chapter may be modified by subsequent legislation.
Section 17. QUORUM. A majority of the authorized number of voting Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business except adjournment. Every action taken or decision made by a majority of the voting Directors present at a duly held meeting at which a quorum is present shall be an act of the Board, subject to the more stringent provisions of the California Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation Law, including, without limitation, those provisions relating to (a) approval of contracts or transactions in which a Director has a direct or indirect material financial interest, (b) approval of certain transactions between corporations having common directorships, (c) creation of and appointments to committees of the Board, and (d) indemnification of Directors. A meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to transact business, despite the withdrawal of some Directors, if any action taken or decision made is approved by at least a majority of the required quorum for that meeting.
Section 18. ADJOURNMENT. A majority of the voting Directors present, whether or not a quorum is present, may adjourn any meeting to another time and place.
Section 19. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. Directors may receive such compensation, if any, for their services as Directors or officers, and such reimbursement of expenses, as the Board of Directors may establish by resolution to be just and reasonable as to the corporation at the time that the resolution is adopted.
Section 20. CREATION OF POWERS OF COMMITTEES. The Board, by resolution adopted by a majority of the voting Directors then in office, may create one or more committees, to serve at the pleasure of the Board. Committees may be structured so that they report to the Charter School Executive Director. Appointments to committees of the Board of Directors shall be by majority vote of the authorized number of voting Directors. The Board of Directors may appoint one or more Directors as alternate members of any such committee, who may replace any absent member at any meeting. Any such committee shall have all the authority of the Board, to the extent provided in the Board of Directors resolution, except that no committee may:
(a) Take any final action on any matter that, under the California Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation Law, also requires approval of the voting Directors or approval of a majority of all members;
(b) Fill vacancies on the Board of Directors or any committee of the Board;
(c) Fix compensation of the Directors for serving on the Board of Directors or on any committee;
(d) Amend or repeal bylaws or adopt new bylaws;
(e) Amend or repeal any resolution of the Board of Directors that by its express terms is not so amendable or subject to repeal;
(f) Create any other committees of the Board of Directors or appoint the members of committees of the Board;
(g) Expend corporate funds to support a nominee for Director if more people have been nominated for Director than can be elected; or
(h) Approve any contract or transaction to which the corporation is a party and in which one or more of its Directors has a material financial interest, except as special approval is provided for in Corporations Code section 5233(d)(3).
Section 21. MEETINGS AND ACTION OF COMMITTEES. Meetings and actions of committees of the Board of Directors shall be governed by, held, and taken under the provisions of these bylaws concerning meetings, other Board of Directors actions, and the Brown Act, if applicable, except that the time for general meetings of such committees and the calling of special meetings of such committees may be set either by Board of Directors resolution or, if none, by resolution of the committee. Minutes of each meeting shall be kept and shall be filed with the corporate records. The Board of Directors may adopt rules for the governance of any committee as long as the rules are consistent with these bylaws. If the Board of Directors has not adopted rules, the committee may do so.
Section 22. NON-LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS. No Director shall be personally liable for the debts, liabilities, or other obligations of this corporation.
Section 23. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS GOVERNING STUDENT RECORDS. The Charter School and the Board of Directors shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Family Education Rights Privacy Act ("FERPA") as set forth in Title 20 of the United States Code Section 1232g and attendant regulations as they may be amended from time to time.
ARTICLE VIII
OFFICERS OF THE CORPORATION
Section 1. OFFICES HELD. The officers of this corporation shall be a President, a Secretary, and a Chief Financial Officer. The corporation, at the Board’s direction, may also have a chairman of the board, one or more Vice-Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries, one or more Assistant Treasurers, and such other officers as may be appointed under Article IX, Section 4 of these bylaws.
Section 2. DUPLICATION OF OFFICE HOLDERS. Any number of offices may be held by the same person, except that neither the Secretary nor the Chief Financial Officer may serve concurrently as either the President or the chairman of the Board.
Section 3. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The officers of this corporation, except any appointed under Article IX, Section 4 of these bylaws, shall be chosen annually by the Board of Directors and shall serve at the pleasure of the Board, subject to the rights of any officer under any employment contract. Non-voting Directors are not eligible to serve as Officers of the Corporation..
Section 4. APPOINTMENT OF OTHER OFFICERS. The Board of Directors may appoint and authorize the chairman of the Board, the President, or another officer to appoint any other officers that the corporation may require. Each appointed officer shall have the title and authority, hold office for the period, and perform the duties specified in the bylaws or established by the Board. Non-voting Directors are not eligible to serve as Officers of the Corporation.
Section 5. REMOVAL OF OFFICERS. Without prejudice to the rights of any officer under an employment contract, the Board of Directors may remove any officer with or without cause. An officer who was not chosen by the Board of Directors may be removed by any other officer on whom the Board of Directors confers the power of removal.
Section 6. RESIGNATION OF OFFICERS. Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board. The resignation shall take effect on the date the notice is received or at any later time specified in the notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice, the resignation need not be accepted to be effective. Any resignation shall be without prejudice to any rights of the corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.
Section 7. VACANCIES IN OFFICE. A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification, or any other cause shall be filled in the manner prescribed in these bylaws for normal appointment to that office, provided, however, that vacancies need not be filled on an annual basis.
Section 8. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. If a chairman of the Board of Directors is elected, he or she shall preside at Board of Directors meetings and shall exercise and perform such other powers and duties as the Board of Directors may assign from time to time. If there is no President, the chairman of the Board of Directors shall also be the chief executive officer and shall have the powers and duties of the President of the corporation set forth in these bylaws.
Section 9. PRESIDENT. Subject to such supervisory powers as the Board of Directors may give to the chairman of the Board, if any, and subject to the control of the Board, the President shall be the general manager of the corporation and shall supervise, direct, and control the corporation’s activities, affairs, and officers as fully described in any applicable employment contract, agreement, or job specification. The President shall preside at all members meetings and, in the absence of the chairman of the Board, or if none, at all Board of Directors meetings. The President shall have such other powers and duties as the Board of Directors or the bylaws may require.
Section 10. VICE-PRESIDENTS. If the President is absent or disabled, the Vice-Presidents, if any, in order of their rank as fixed by the Board, or, if not ranked, a Vice-President designated by the Board, shall perform all duties of the President. When so acting, a Vice-President shall have all powers of and be subject to all restrictions on the President. The Vice-Presidents shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as the Board of Directors or the bylaws may require.
Section 11. SECRETARY. The Secretary shall keep or cause to be kept, at the corporation’s principal office or such other place as the Board of Directors may direct, a book of minutes of all meetings, proceedings, and actions of the Board, and of committees of the Board. The minutes of meetings shall include the time and place that the meeting was held; whether the meeting was annual, regular, special, or emergency and, if special or emergency, how authorized; the notice given; and the names of persons present at Board of Directors and committee meetings.
The Secretary shall keep or cause to be kept, at the principal California office, a copy of the articles of incorporation and bylaws, as amended to date.
The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of members, of the Board, and of committees of the Board of Directors that these bylaws require to be given. The Secretary shall keep the corporate seal, if any, in safe custody and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as the Board of Directors or by bylaws may require.
Section 12. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. The Chief Financial Officer shall keep and maintain, or cause to be kept and maintained, adequate and correct books and accounts of the corporation’s properties and transactions. The Chief Financial Officer shall send or cause to be given to the members and Directors such financial statements and reports as are required to be given by law, by these bylaws, or by the Board. The books of account shall be open to inspection by any director at all reasonable times.
The Chief Financial Officer shall (i) deposit, or cause to be deposited, all money and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the corporation with such depositories as the Board of Directors may designate; (ii) disburse the corporation’s funds as the Board of Directors may order; (iii) render to the President, chairman of the Board, if any, and the Board, when requested, an account of all transactions as Chief Financial Officer and of the financial condition of the corporation; and (iv) have such other powers and perform such other duties as the Board, contract, job specification, or the bylaws may require.
If required by the board, the Chief Financial Officer shall give the corporation a bond in the amount and with the surety or sureties specified by the Board of Directors for faithful performance of the duties of the office and for restoration to the corporation of all of its books, papers, vouchers, money, and other property of every kind in the possession or under the control of the Chief Financial Officer on his or her death, resignation, retirement, or removal from office.
ARTICLE IX
CONTRACTS WITH DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Section 1. CONTRACTS WITH DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. No director of this corporation nor any other corporation, firm, association, or other entity in which one or more of this corporation’s Directors are Directors have a material financial interest, shall be interested, directly or indirectly, in the contract or transaction, unless (a) the material facts regarding that Director’s financial interest in such contract or transaction or regarding such common directorship, officership, or financial interest are fully disclosed in good faith and noted in the minutes, or are known to all members of the Board of Directors prior to the Board’s consideration of such contract or transaction; (b) such contract or transaction is authorized in good faith by a majority of the Board of Directors by a vote sufficient for that purpose without counting the votes of the interested Directors; (c) before authorizing or approving the transaction, the Board of Directors considers and in good faith decides after reasonable investigation that the corporation could not obtain a more advantageous arrangement with reasonable effort under the circumstances; and (d) the corporation for its own benefit enters into the transaction, which is fair and reasonable to the corporation at the time the transaction was entered into.
This Section does not apply to a transaction that is part of an educational or charitable program of this corporation if it (a) is approved or authorized by the corporation in good faith and without unjustified favoritism and (b) results in a benefit to one or more Directors or their families because they are in the class of persons intended to be benefited by the educational or charitable program of this corporation.
ARTICLE X
LOANS TO DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Section 1. LOANS TO DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. This corporation shall not lend any money or property to or guarantee the obligation of any Director or officer without the approval of the California Attorney General; provided, however, that the corporation may advance money to a Director or officer of the corporation for expenses reasonably anticipated to be incurred in the performance of his or her duties if that Director or officer would be entitled to Reimbursement for such expenses of the corporation.
ARTICLE XI
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 1. INDEMNIFICATION. To the fullest extent permitted by law, this corporation shall indemnify its Directors, officers, employees, and other persons described in Corporations Code section 5238(a), including persons formerly occupying any such positions, against all expenses, judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred by them in connection with any "proceeding," as that term is used in that section, and including an action by or in the right of the corporation by reason of the fact that the person is or was a person described in that section. "Expenses," as used in this bylaw, shall have the same meaning as in that section of the Corporations Code.
On written request to the Board of Directors by any person seeking indemnification under Corporations Code section 5238 (b) or section 5238 (c) the Board of Directors shall promptly decide under Corporations Code section 5238 (e) whether the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Corporations Code section 5238 (b) or section 5238 (c) has been met and, if so, the Board of Directors shall authorize indemnification.
ARTICLE XII
INSURANCE
Section 1. INSURANCE. This corporation shall have the right to purchase and maintain insurance to the full extent permitted by law on behalf of its officers, Directors, employees, and other agents, to cover any liability asserted against or incurred by any officer, Director, employee, or agent in such capacity or arising from the officer’s, Director’s, employee’s, or agent’s status as such.
ARTICLE XIII
MAINTENANCE OF CORPORATE RECORDS
Section 1. MAINTENANCE OF CORPORATE RECORDS. This corporation shall keep:
(a) Adequate and correct books and records of account;
(b) Written minutes of the proceedings of its members, Board, and committees of the Board; and
(c) Such reports and records as required by law.
ARTICLE XIV
INSPECTION RIGHTS
Section 1. DIRECTORS’ RIGHT TO INSPECT. Every Director, both voting and non-voting, shall have the right at any reasonable time to inspect the corporation’s books, records, documents of every kind, physical properties, and the records of each subsidiary as permitted by California and federal law. The inspection may be made in person or by the Director’s agent or attorney. The right of inspection includes the right to copy and make extracts of documents as permitted by California and federal law. This right to inspect may be circumscribed in instances where the right to inspect conflicts with California or federal law (e.g., restrictions on the release of educational records under FERPA) pertaining to access to books, records, and documents.
Section 2. ACCOUNTING RECORDS AND MINUTES. On written demand on the corporation, any member may inspect, copy, and make extracts of the accounting books and records and the minutes of the proceedings of the members, the Board of Directors, and committees of the Board of Directors at any reasonable time for a purpose reasonably related to the member’s interest as a member. Any such inspection and copying may be made in person or by the member’s agent or attorney. This right of inspection extends to the records of any subsidiary of the corporation.
Section 3. MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF ARTICLES AND BYLAWS. This corporation shall keep at its principal California office the original or a copy of the article of incorporation and bylaws, as amended to the current date, which shall be open to inspection by the members at all reasonable times during office hours. If the corporation has no business office in California, the Secretary shall, on the written request of any member, furnish to that member a copy of the articles of incorporation and bylaws, as amended to the current date.
ARTICLE XV
REQUIRED REPORTS
Section 1. ANNUAL REPORTS. The Board of Directors shall cause an annual report to be sent to the Board of Directors within 120 days after the end of the corporation’s fiscal year. That report shall contain the following information, in appropriate detail:
(a) The assets and liabilities, including the trust funds, or the corporation as of the end of the fiscal year;
(b) The principal changes in assets and liabilities, including trust funds;
(c) The corporation’s revenue or receipts, both unrestricted and restricted to particular purposes;
(d) The corporation’s expenses or disbursement for both general and restricted purposes;
(e) Any information required under these bylaws;
Section 2. ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS AND INDEMNIFICATIONS. As part of the annual report to all members, or as a separate document if no annual report is issued, the corporation shall, within 120 days after the end of the corporation’s fiscal year, annually prepare and mail or deliver to each member and furnish to each Director a statement of any transaction or indemnification of the following kind:
(a) Any transaction (i) in which the corporation, or its parent or subsidiary, was a party, (ii) in which an "interested person" had a direct or indirect material financial interest, and (iii) which involved more than $50,000 or was one of several transactions with the same interested person involving, in the aggregate, more than $50,000. For this purpose, an "interested person" is either:
(1) Any Director or officer of the corporation, its parent, or subsidiary (but mere common directorship shall not be considered such an interest); or
(2) Any holder of more than 10 percent of the voting power of the corporation, its parent, or its subsidiary. The statement shall include a brief description of the transaction, the names of interested persons involved, their relationship to the corporation, the nature of their interest, provided that if the transaction was with a partnership in which the interested person is a partner, only the interest of the partnership need be stated.
Section 3. COPIES OF REPORTS REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. The Board of Directors shall cause copies of all financial reports required by the State of California and identified in the School’s charter to be forwarded to the Board of Directors in accordance with the timelines established in the School’s charter.
CERTIFICATE OF SECRETARY
I certify that I am the duly elected and acting Secretary of the Sun Valley Charter School, Inc, a California non-profit public benefit corporation; that these bylaws, consisting of 13 pages, are the bylaws of this corporation as adopted by the Board of Directors on February 7, 2002; and that these bylaws have not been amended or modified since that date.
Executed on February 7, 2002, at Ramona, California.
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Colleen Burman, Secretary
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